Falling for You
by FlyAwayDreamCatcher
Summary: "Oh dear, sweet Merlin. I fancy James Potter." Last year, Lily and James decided to try and be 'friends'. Now Lily is falling for James. Hard. James gave up - or did he? 7th year: packed full of pranks, realizations, denial, war, laughs, tears, Quidditch and Sirius' 'Lady Skillz'. J/L, S/M, F/A. Rated T for language, romance and Sirius.
1. Petunias and Lilies

**This has been nagging at the back of my head for a while, so I thought, what the heck? Let's try it! It's basically the Marauder's and Lily's 7th year - the year Jily officially starts! (even though it starts for James ****_waaaaayyyy _****before). Anyway, this story will be in multiple points of view: Lily and James (obviously) and possibly the other marauders and Lily's friends, but I have yet to decide. Let me know what you think about those points of view.**

**Enjoy!**

**FlyAway**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned it, would it be under 'Fanfiction'? No. J.K.R. owns.**

* * *

**CHAPTER .1.**

**Petunias and Lilies**

**_'Sometimes love hurts, but its agony if you know that it won't come back.'_**

**Lily – the lily represents purity, grace, innocence and beauty**

**Petunia – a humble-looking flower**

* * *

_**LILY**_

* * *

Packing.

I had always hated packing.

Before, it had always meant going away from what you loved and cherished.

Now, it means getting away from hate and pain.

So now I, Lily Evans, love packing. Packing means getting away from Petunia. Petunia – my sister. Packing also means going to Hogwarts, where my friends are, and is hundreds of miles away from Petunia.

I had tried, I had, to get Petunia to understand. But she wouldn't listen. So now, she can go off with her whale of a fiancé, Vernon Dursley, and never come back as far as I'm concerned. I refused to attend to the wedding this Easter, but mum had insisted. Much to Petunia's infuriation ("She's your _sister, _Pet. She must be at your wedding!").

I would even prefer to spend time with Potter, than my sister. Though, I suppose, Potter _had _improved last year. Even to the point that we had agreed to be friends. Heck, I _miss _the Marauders.

Wow, never thought I'd say that.

I still can't believe I got Head Girl. I really excited about that, but I would really like to know wjo the Head Boy is. Why can't they just tell us in the letter? I thought Remus might be Head Boy this year, but he said he wasn't (I owled him). I guess they know better than to make a Marauder Head Boy, even if Remus _is _the least trouble-making, he's still a Marauder.

They be one entity of chaos.

I ran into them in Diagon Alley and ended up shopping with them; Petunia was being insufferable.

* * *

_"NO! I will not go to some – some... FREAK place!" Petunia shrieked, after I had asked Mum that we visit Diagon Alley to get my new school books._

_"Petunia!" Mum frowned. "Lily needs to buy her school things, so pack a bag, and get in the car."_

_Petunia stomped all the way upstairs, raging about "freaks and their freakish habits"._

_Twenty-five minutes later, my parents, Petunia and I were parked up outside The Leaky Cauldron. I lead them through into Diagon Alley, Petunia scowling and generally drawing attention to herself. I re-checked my list:_

Standard Book of Spells: Grade 7

Advanced Transfiguration

N.E.W.T. Potions

Advanced Defence

Deadly and Dangerous Fungi and Plants

Specialist Charms

Care of Advanced and Dangerous Magical Creatures

_I had also scribbled new equipment and ingredients I needed at the edge of the list. I was looking over these, my family trailing behind me, when a familiar voice called out to me._

_"Lily! Hey Lily!"_

_Oh dear Merlin._

_The Marauders jogged over, grinning at me. All of them – apart from Peter, who is about the same height as me - now towering over me, as they had since fourth year._

_"James, Sirius, Peter, Remus." We had been on first-name bases since half way through sixth year, when we had decided to attempt to be friends. I suppose it's working so far. My parents and Petunia had now caught up and were standing slightly behind me._

_"Hey, Lily." Remus smiled, he's always so nice. "Fancy shopping with us?"_

_Errrrr... Yes? No? Maybe? I supposed it could only help our 'budding friendship'._

_"Sure," Oh Merlin, what had I just gotten myself into?_

* * *

It was actually an ok, Petunia-free day (my parents and Petunia decided to do some shopping in Muggle London), give or take a few pranks.

My door opened.

"Lily? Time to get going," Mum told me, sticking her head round my door.

I turned to her and smiled.

"Coming, Mum."

* * *

**Good? Bad? Abysmal? Please review!**


	2. Merlin's Most Pink and Frilly Knickers

**A.N. Wow, 2 reviews, 1 fav and 2 follows in the first 30 minutes its up? Just – wow! Thank you to MaryLouise1996 and 112charlie112 for the 2 lovely reviews! 2 virtual cookies each: (::) (::) (::) (::) and a virtual cookie to Pen is Mighter for being the 3****rd**** to review (::).**

**Also to answer you, Mr & Mrs Evans are coming back at Easter (for the Wedding, and guess who's coming with Lils...) and Lily will get letters from them.**

**FlyAway**

**P.S. This chapter is longer, I didn't realise the last chapter was so short.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**CHAPTER .2.**

**Merlin's Most Pink and Frilly Knickers**

**_ 'Four deals with stability and invokes the grounded nature of all things. Consider the four seasons, four directions, four elements all these amazingly powerful essences wrapped up in the nice square package of four. Fours represent solidity, calmness, and home. Fours also indicate a need for persistence and endurance.'_**

**_The Four Values: Generosity, Respect, Courage, Wisdom._**

* * *

**_LILY_**

* * *

The journey to Kings Cross station was uneventful. Petunia outright refused to come, so I, naturally, wished her a stony "bye, see you at Christmas" and climbed into the car. In all honesty, I seriously doubt I'm going to return home for Christmas; I don't really fancy a Yule holiday spent in the company of Vermin – sorry, Vernon – Dursley and my sure-to-be-hissing-and-spitting-at-me sister.

Vernon Dursley is a whale of a man, who is almost wider than he is tall – which is astonishing since he's only about 20 - , with a huge black moustache, frequently purple face and a vein on his forehead that throbs dramatically when he's angry. He finds great pleasure in glowering at me and openly insulting me when my parents aren't around, and often when they are. He also has a sister called Marge who resembles her brother greatly, except her moustache is less bushy. She breeds bulldogs and is, impossibly, even worse than Vermin – oops, Vernon. Every time I've met her, she called me a bad-egg at least half a dozen times. Bitch. Imagine if she met the Marauders...

Anyhow, my parents pulled up in the station car-park and accompanied me to Platform 9. I decided it would probably be better if I said good bye here, and not on 9 ¾. I gave my parents each a quick hug.

"See you soon, Lily." Mum smiled.

"Yep, bye Mum. Bye Dad. Love you."

Then I slipped through the barrier and was instantly surrounded by bustling parents, hooting owls, mewing cats, rattling trolleys and the hooting of the scarlet steam-engine. I sighed in relief. Finally, back in the place I belong: the Wizarding World.

"Lily! Lily!" I turned and was immediately engulfed by a round-faced someone.

I laughed. "Hey Alice!" Alice Prewett, one of my best friends. She's petite, with a smiley round face and short, dark hair.

"Me and Marlene have been looking for you for ages!" She grinned. "Dorcas is finding us a compartment."

Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadowes are our two other best friends, they make up our little group of four. Marlene is about my height with curly dark blonde hair and blue eyes; she is the biggest female flirt in the year but we love her anyway. Dorcas is more subdued than Alice and Marlene, she's pretty much the rational one out of the four of us. She has waist-length brown hair that was nearly always in ponytails over her shoulders, brown eyes and bug-eye glasses.

"I only just got here," I chuckled and Alice fixed me with a stern look.

"Miss Evans." She mock scolded, "Tardiness will not be accepted at Hogwarts." It was such a good impression of our head of house, Professor McGonagall, that I burst into a fit of giggles. Then I scooped her into another hug.

"I really missed you, Ali."

She smirked. "I know, I'm just _so _brilliant, aren't I?"

I shook my head at her. "C'mon on you," I grinned, grabbing her by the wrist. "Let's go find Nasty and Nice."

"What?"

"Never mind..."

* * *

"Lily!"

You would have thought being bombarded once in one day is enough. Not for my friends. Marlene flew at me first, quickly followed with another muffled _thump!, _which indicated that Dorcas was now also hugging me.

I can't breathe.

"Guys, she's going purple!"

Thank god for Alice.

"She is not!" Marlene argued, after glancing at my face

Alice grinned. "Ok, she wasn't. But she couldn't breathe!"

True. Very true.

"You can go back to squeezing the life out of her though."

I take it back. Alice is getting Bat-Bogeyed.

Marlene and Dorcas laughed while I frowned and huffed. Putting my trunk in the luggage rack, I sat next to the window; Dorcas across from me, Marlene next to her and Alice on my left.

"So how was Italy, Marl?" I asked Marlene, smiling.

"Oh, it was great! They have these beaches..." She went off on a twenty minute lecture about why Italy was great and how many 'hot guys' were there. None of us were listening. Dorcas was staring out of the window, Alice was doodling on a spare bit of parchment she had on her and I was playing with Klutz, my black-and-white cat (yes, I called him Klutz, after Alice), when I remembered I was meant to be going to the Head meeting to meet the Head Boy and talk to the Prefects. As I stood up, Marlene was yanked out of her speech and Alice and Dorcas were jerked out of their absent-minded actions.

"I'm really sorry guys," I explained. "But I just remembered about the Head meeting." They looked at me blankly. "The Head meeting! I'm Head Girl!"

Oh yeah, they didn't know.

"_What_?"

"I called it!"

"Five galleons missy, pay up."

I laughed out loud as Alice grudgingly handed Marlene five galleons and Dorcas grinned from ear-to-ear.

"I'll see you later guys, got to find out who the Head Boy is." I waved and heard Marlene say:

"_Ooooh... _Do you think he's cute?"

I could practically hear Alice and Dorcas roll their eyes.

* * *

It was about 1:30 by the time I managed to get to the right compartment; after battling my way through rowdy fifth years, a game exploding snap that set fire to the seats of three compartments and a toad that had swelled three times its normal size, due to an enchanted liquorice wand.

So, as you can imagine, I was looking forward to sitting down and relaxing for a minute. But who should I find already in the compartment?

James bloody Potter.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped, more venom in my voice than I intended. Potter looked genuinely offended for about 0.00005 seconds, then he adopted a mock insulted tone.

"Why shouldn't I be here?"

"This is the Head's compartment, the meeting supposed to start in a minute. It would be easier without any excess people."

Then I noticed something shining on his shirt. Merlin no.

"As a matter of fact, I'm Head Boy." He said this somewhat sheepishly.

Merlin's most pink and frilly knickers, no.

Kill. Me. Now.

Not possible. _Potter? _That's it; Dumbledore's officially lost it. His mind's gone a-wanderin'. How in _God's name _did _Potter_ – _Potter,_ of _all_ people – become Head Boy?

* * *

**_JAMES_**

* * *

She was looking at me. Staring at me with those beautiful green eyes in disbelief; I'm pretty sure there's a war going on behinds those emerald windows. She stared at me for a whole minute, and didn't say anything. I fidgeted uncomfortably, which seemed to snap her out of whatever trance she'd been in.

"What in Merlin's name..." she trailed of, muttering incomprehensible things under her breath. I caught "off his rocker" and "prefer to throw myself off the Astronomy Tower". Nice to know she's so excited about this.

"Evans," I snapped, pained by her last comment. "Instead of cursing every famous Wizard you can think of, why don't you come here and we can discuss what we are going to say to the Prefects."

Lily seemed surprised by my tone and I instantly regretted it. Her almond-shaped eyes were hurt and reproachful.

"Oh, Lily, I'm sorry for snapping. I –" She held up a finger to silence me.

"No, Potter, you're right." She said, her face hard. "Let's just forget it. I can't do anything about so I'll just have to accept it. Now, what are we going to say to the Prefects?"

She said Potter.

* * *

The meeting went alright I suppose. No arguments, which I consider good, since I have a habit of fighting for my opinion. Lily was fantastic; she made this obnoxious 6th year Hufflepuff – Smith, I think – almost wet himself.

And she called me James. But maybe that was because we were supposed to be working together.

Well done James. Lily was finally kind of tolerant of you, and you go and ruin it. Congratulations Potter.

When the meeting was over, I bid farewell to Lily and she left to find her friends. I trudged back to my compartment, thoroughly downcast.

"Hey, Prongs!" Padfoot's greeting fell on deaf ears as I slid open the door. "Prongs?"

Moony sighed. "How was Lily?"

Sirius shut up.

I cleared my throat, which had become dry. "She er..." I swallowed. "She, um... She said she'd rather throw herself of the Astronomy Tower, than have me as Head Boy."

There was silence.

Which Padfoot, of course, broke.

"Whoa, man. That's rough."

Remus wacked him. "Not helping Pads."

Peter, who had been quiet since I had entered the compartment, handed me a bag of Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans. "Cheer up Prongs, she'll come around." He smiled. "In the mean time, let's dig into those beans! You go first."

It was rare that Wormtail was able to actually cheer on of us up, usually it was Moony who did that (Sirius just makes stuff worse), but when he tries, he nearly always helps. Like now.

"Thanks, Wormy." I smiled in return and examined the beans. Picking a bright red one – hoping it was strawberry – I plucked it my mouth.

Big mistake.

"AHHHH! HOT! HOT! WATER, WATER!" Sirius fell on the floor laughing, clutching his sides. Remus, chuckling, handed me his bottle of water while Peter snickered.

When he had recovered from his laughing fit, Padfoot smirked at me. "Bit too hot mate?"

I glowered at him and shoved the bag into his hands. "You go next."

With a flourish, Sirius dug his hand into the bag and randomly produced a dark green one. Without even examining it, he popped it in his mouth. Grinning, he announced the flavor.

"Mint."

He smirked at me. Lucky mutt.

"You go next Wormy." Padfoot handed the bag to Wormtail, who drew out a bright pink one. He sniffed it and cautiously bit into it.

"Puh puh! Ewwww! Soap!" He wiped his tongue feverishly and scowled at us; we were laughing. "You next Moony."

Remus accepted the bag and searched through the beans, before taking out the a dark-ish brown bean.

"That's poo for sure." Sirius said, indicating to the innocent-looking sweet sitting in the palm of Moony's hand. He shook his head frustratingly.

"We'll see." He placed the brown bean in his mouth and sucked, before turning to us and grinning. "Chocolate."

No way. He was always scarily good at predicting the flavours of Bertie Bots, but really? The chocoholic Werewolf just _happens_ to get a chocolate bean? The cheat. Sirius, it appeared, had reached a similar conclusion.

"That is so unfair!"

Remus just smirked.

"Com'on," he told us. "We best get changed, then we can continue."

* * *

**How'd you feel about that one? I worked really hard on it all day because I'm hungry for writing and people liked it so much! Review please! Reviews = faster updates!**

**FlyAway**

**P.S. What do you think James' Bertie Bot flavour was? And try and match up the 4 values (top) to the 4 Marauders!**

**P.P.S. I've put up a poll for the next chapter of 'Classes Via Messrs Most Marauderish', so please vote if you've read the story, and if you haven't: get reading!**


	3. Positively Howling

**A.N. Thank you for such lovely reviews from members and guests! The answer was Chilli and Peter: Respect, Remus: Wisdom, I couldn't decide between the other 2, so it's really your personal opinion! I was also curious to find out what the name James meant, and I laughed ****_so _****hard when I found out.**

**_"Why did this chapter take so long? You said it would be up a few days ago on Black in Red AN!"_**** : I know! I'm really sorry! Especially since it's the summer holidays and I have 24 hour free time everyday (almost). I had a bit of writer's block with this for a while so, I'm not sure what standard it's up to. I really worked SO hard to finish this today, because you guys really wanted more. It was the Sorting Hat song that made it take such a long time; I need to thank my mum and sister for writing half of that effing song (the rhymes! Ahhhh!)! So, thanks mum, thanks sis! I'll address the grammatical errors in the morning, or afternoon, on the morrow. I need to TRY and sleep now. I'm having serious (not Sirius) insomnia at the moment. Urrrrgggg... no sleep. I didn't sleep until 4:30am yesterday/this morning. On the plus-side, this is a much longer chapter than the previous 2 (over 3,000 words!) So:**

**Enjoy the chapter readers!**

**(Siriusly, I worked really hard on it)**

**FlyAway**

**P.S. REVIEW! It takes about 30 secs-1 minute of your time, and gives me huge amounts of happiness!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own 0. Zilch. Belongs to the wonderful women that is J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

**CHAPTER .3.**

**Positively ****_Howling_**

**_'It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.'_**

**James – (2****nd**** meaning) Supplanter: Offender, wrongdoer – a person who transgresses moral or civil law – a MARAUDER.**

* * *

**_JAMES_**

* * *

Me and Lily are a lost cause. Really. Sirius told me a quote while clapping me on the back (I can't remember it, it'll come back to me) I think it was meant to cheer me up, but did exactly the opposite. See what I mean about Padfoot never helping?

Anyway, about 58 more beans later (including grass, water, paper, copper, vomit, sock and rubber), the train came to a shuddering halt. Sirius jumped up, eyes bright.

"Alright! Seventh year, here we come, baby!" And with that he grabbed his trunk and zipped from our compartment faster than you can say "crazy". He really is a nutter. Moony shook his head and reached above his seat for his trunk.

"You know," he started. "Sometimes I forget why he hasn't been carted off to St. Mungo's." There was a tapping sound, and we turned to see Sirius knocking on the window, grinning like the maniac he is. "Annnnnd... my point stands." Peter and I chuckled, following Remus out into the corridor.

On the platform we reunited with Padfoot, who was bouncing up and down; causing others students to shoot him slightly weirded-out looks and shuffle away from him. Perfectly understandable. Hagrid raised a huge hand in greeting as we passed and we waved back at him.

The carriages were as horse-less as always, pulling themselves. As we drew closer, I spotted Lily ahead of us, red hair swinging behind her. Padfoot nudged my side.

"Hey hey hey, Prongs," he smirked at me. "It's your lady love!"

Of course, he had to say this loud enough for Lily to hear him. Stupid furball! Lily turned around, her green eyes boring into me, filled with embarrassment and anger. She twirled back around and continued on, chatting with her friends again. Hitting Sirius on the arm, I hissed at him.

"You idiot, Padfoot!"

Sirius just snickered - the git. I glanced at Remus, who was smiling exasperatedly at us. We grabbed a carriage which already had someone inside. Frank Longbottom, our fellow 7th year Gryffindor. He Shared dorm with us and we were good friends, but he mainly hung out with us from time to time, but also with some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Good sorta bloke.

"Hey, Frank," I smiled as the four of us climbed into the coach.

Frank looked up from his book ('_Fighting with Flora: a Study of Defensive Herbs'). _"Oh, hi guys. How were your summers?" He placed a bookmark in his volume and placed it in his trunk. Peter shrugged, Sirius grinned, Remus smiled and I simply jerked my head.

"Okay."

"Great!"

"Good."

"Alright."

Padfoot turned to me with an accusing expression. "Prongs, I am wounded!"

As Sirius now officially lived with me, he had spent the entire summer in my company; we had also invited the other two around. In all fairness, it had been a brilliant summer, but my mood was still dampened from the whole Lily debacle, with or without chilli-flavour beans.

I smirked. "You think too highly of yourself, Padfoot." Sirius pouted and turned away.

Rolling his eyes, Moony addressed Frank. "How about yours, Frank?"

"Yeah, how was _your _summer, O' Mighty-Defender-with-Venomous-Tentacula?"

_Oh, Padfoot._

* * *

When we got off the carriages, we trooped up into the entrance hall. After we dropped off our possessions for the house-elves to take, we started towards the Great Hall along with the hoard of other students, but we found our path blocked by a group of Slytherins: Nott, Avery, Mulciber and _Snivellus. _

Avery leered, "Well well well, if it isn't Blood Traitors Black and Potter, scrawny Pettigrew and scarred little Lupin."

Remus snorted – I agree, in what way is Moony _little?_

I glanced at Sirius. He was chuckling at Avery.

"What, Black?"

Sirius was full-out hooting with laughter now. "Those were the worst insults I have ever heard in my life, Avery." He snorted.

Avery scowled and ground his teeth. Rolling my eyes, I shoved past the Slytherins.

"Get lost." I spat at them. Mulciber and Nott went for their wands, but Avery waved them down. We walked towards the Great Hall once again, when Avery called out.

"Have fun!" He yelled after us, "I heard you lot had a positively _howling _time over the summer."

We froze and I snapped. Remus' hand jerked towards his pocket, but I was there first. Pulling out my wand, I slammed Avery into the wall, wand pressed against his throat.

The crowd students around us silenced. I vaguely saw Lily off to the side, frozen and staring at us.

"Don't you dare, _ever say that again!_" I snarled, eyes blazing. "Do you understand? Don't you_ dare." _I saw fear in the filthy Slytherin's eyes. He glanced down at my wand that was dug into his jugular. Throwing him back into the stone wall again, I pulled away and stalked back to my friends, who were looking at me in awe and, in Frank's case, slight fear. Remus smiled at me, his eyes faintly wet.

Suddenly, a flash of light cut past my leg and my robes ripped open in a clean line across my calf. Red surged through the dark fabric and pain exploded in my lower leg. _Bloody Avery!_ He had used a non-verbal Severing Charm and slashed a deep gash in my leg. Sirius was on my case immediately. I may complain that he's crazy, but he sure is a brilliant friend; my brother in all but blood.

"_Furnunculus!"_

Avery's skin erupted with boils and Mulciber shot an Inpediment Jinx at Sirius, which he reflected back at him, blasting him backwards. Frank sent a Jelly-Legs Jinx at Nott, who wobbled around helplessly, and Remus blasted Snape with a Tickling Charm, sending him careening over backwards, wheezing with laughter. Peter had his wand out, but failed to hex anyone.

I swore under my breath at my fruitless attempts to heal my cut, or even conjure a bandage. My friends turned to me, Remus ready to heal my leg (he was good at healing cuts), when something very strange, yet brilliant, occurred.

Lily left Dorcas, Marlene and Alice and walked over to me. She crouched down by me and pulled out her wand, prying my fingers away from my wound. She glanced up into my eyes, her emerald orbs locking with mine, and smiled. A genuine, sweet, don't-worry-I'll-fix-this kind of smile.

My heart skipped a beat.

She looked back at my cut and waved her wand over it, murmuring a spell. New skin grew over the gash and the angry red blotches around it faded. I looked back up at Lily who smiled once more, then got back onto her feet. Just as she brushed off her robes, the doors banged open.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!"

Oh dear.

* * *

**LILY**

* * *

My head snapped towards the voice. Professor McGonagall was marching towards us, an expression of utmost fury on her face. I slunk back into the crowd, towards Dorcas, Marlene and Alice.

"_What is going on?_" She repeated, her voice clipped and strained from anger.

This cannot end well.

McGonagall's lips were very thin already, but when she looked at the Slytherins, her lips vanished. She rounded on the boys; I noticed she didn't counter-curse the Slytherins beforehand. Her piecing look went from Sirius to Remus to Frank to Peter (who still had his wand out) to James, who was still on the floor.

"Well?" She barked, "would anyone like to explain to me _why, exactly,_ these boys," she gestured to the Slytherins. "Are suffering from spell-damage?" James slowly stood.

"It was my fault Professor."

_What? _James Potter took the blame for something? Not to mention something that_ wasn't his fault_? Yes, he pinned Avery against the wall, but he was asking for it.

Professor McGonagall studied James, taking in his blood-soaked robe leg and bloody hands. "Potter," she started, somewhat cautiously. "Would you care to elaborate?"

James sighed. "They provoked us Professor." McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "They insulted Remus. So I pushed him against the wall and, um, threatened him... just a tiny bit. I turned around and he cut my leg with a severing charm, so the others defended me."

Whoa.

McGonagall's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline, and she turned to the other four.

"Mr Black? Is this true?"

"Yes Professor. But it wasn't Pro – James' fault. They," he pointed to the Slytherins, "asked for it."

McGonagall frowned slightly at Sirius then bristled. "You," she snapped at a group of fifth year Slytherins. "Take those four to the hospital wing." The fifth years groaned, but hauled Nott, Avery, Mulciber and Seve – Snape, in the direction of the infirmary. McGonagall faced the Marauders and Frank again. "This will not go unpunished, boys. Detention, all of you," she snapped. "Five O'clock tomorrow night. Come to my office and I'll send you on separate detentions." Then she shook her head. "Detentions before term has started boys. I am very disappointed in you."

Then she walked away.

"Is it just me," I asked the others. "Or did McGonagall let them off really easy? She didn't even deduct house points, and only one detention. She didn't even mention James being Head Boy and should be 'more mature' and all. Normally she would."

Alice and Dorcas nodded.

"It's not just you." Alice replied

Marlene simply shrugged nonchalantly, pulling on her sleeve hem. "Com'on," she whined, "food."

We laughed.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

Oh holy Merlin. What was that? She was nastier to the Slytherins than us! Either McGonagall's gone soft, or those snakes did something she didn't like. Or doesn't... Hmmmm... Maybe –

"Prongs? Hey, Prongs! Hellllllooooooooo?"

I shook my head and mumbled "wha?"

Sirius smirked at me, removing the hand that he was waving in front of me. I swear, his face is going to get stuck one day – in a smirk. That will _not _be attractive, even _if_ most girls swoon when he smirks at them; it's almost as bad as his 'sexy smile'. Jerk.

"We're at the Great Hall Prongsie," he said, as if he were talking to a three-year-old. Double jerk. "See." He gestured dramatically to the doors. Remus chuckled next to me and Peter giggled.

"Shut it, Paddie." I shoved him and he crashed, laughing, into the wall. "And stop smirking!"

* * *

After the rest of the school had settled at their respective house tables, McGonagall came in, still slightly red-faced from the snake-bashing incident, leading the new first years. They tottered in, all white-faced and looking nauseated. Nearly-Headless Nick, who was a few seats away, seemed excited at the prospect of a fresh batch of Gryffindors. I faced the front again and saw the Sorting Hat's rip-mouth open wide.

_Here safely now within the walls_

_Of our beloved castle,_

_Feel not the hate beyond these halls_

_Nor wicked spells or curses._

_Oh heed me now, don't let me bore_

_You Gryffindors, the brave ones;_

_And oh so brainy Ravenclaws,_

_Sly Slytherins, fair Hufflepuffs._

_Your differences, once such a fuss,_

_Shall be of now your demise,_

_Competition, put behind us,_

_We can unite and fight together._

_Join hands my brothers!_

_Join hands fair chicks!_

_For outside there are others,_

_Who wish to do us harm._

_But now of the houses four,_

_I sing to you, in this hall._

_Courage, that's what was liked by Gryffindor,_

_Whilst Ravenclaw, she chose the clever,_

_And Hufflepuff the just,_

_Yet Slytherin, he picked the cunning,_

_Those who do what they must._

_So put me on,_

_Don't shy away,_

_I'll find where you belong._

_Trust me; it won't take all day,_

_For I am the Sorting Hat!_

The hall broke into applause. The hat's songs were steadily becoming more and more worrisome. Yes. It's been warning us for years – ever since old Moldywart became really powerful – that we ought to "put aside house differences" and go skipping hand-in-hand, but never so... _directly_. It never actullty said if we don't join together, we'll fall. Until now, I guess.

Sirius, it seemed, had no such qualms about the song. In fact, I'm not even sure he heard it. He just fidgeted in his seat and moaned quietly to me and Remus.

"Com'on, hurry up. I'm starving here!"

I snorted iand shook my head at him. McGonagall produced a long roll of parchment and the hall hushed.

"Anbrot, Bailey!"

A small, skinny boy with unbelievably messy blond hair wobbled towards the stool. The hat hardly touched his thatch of hair before it screamed,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

I whooped and cheered with the rest of the table, as Bailey tripped towards us, shaking like a leaf but obviously pleased.

"Borton, Lavinia!"

The hat took a minute to decide before shouting Ravenclaw.

"Buckle, Penelope."

"RAVENCLAW!"

Penelope ran over to Lavinia and grinned at her; obviously they met on the train.

Catolyn, Jack went to Hufflepuff and Cunnings, Silvia went to Slytherin, ironically. A few more people were divided between Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff before the next Gryffindor arrived. Bailey was sat a few seats down from me and looked very nervous as no one else came to the table.

Then McGonagall called "Evlings, Fiona!" That hat sat a two whole minutes with her head before she became the second Gryffindor of the year. Bailey cheered particularly loudly. Do I sense love in the air? I pointed this out to Padfoot, who started to hum '_Can You Feel the Love Tonight?_'. We passed the Fs with no new Gryffindors; where are they all? Only two by the Gs!

"Gillian, Jacob!" A stocky boy with short, black hair, startlingly blue eyes and dark skin tottered nervously up to the hat.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Bailey and Fiona cheered as Jacob came up to the table, grinning, and plopped down beside Bailey, who smiled widely at him. As we progressed through the alphabet, we acquired several new Gryffindors. In the end we had 6 boys and 6 girls, which was a feat. There is hardly ever an even number of boys and girls each year.

There was Bailey and Jacob, along with Kyle Summers, Anthony Williams, Tate Smith and Mark Linear. Fiona was joined by Jessica Heath, River Saitō, Helena Field, Eira Toth and Olivia Issa. River interested me, she had the dark skin and hair and the soft, wide features of Japanese girls. I wondered why she didn't go to Mahoutokoro Wizarding School in Japan. I would've asked her, but it seemed a bit personal.

When the last first year left the stool ("RAVENCLAW!") McGonagall rolled up the list and tapped it with her wand. When it vanished, she took her place at the staff table and Dumbledore stood, arms outstretched.

"Welcome, students, new and old," he beamed, "to a fresh year at Hogwarts. Before our School Song, I think many of you would appreciate the Feast."

"YES!" Sirius shouted, jumping up.

"MR. BLACK!" McGonagall frowned. "Sit down!"

Padfoot saluted McGonagall and Dumbledore, before taking his seat again, grinning manically at Remus, Peter and me. Crazy dog. I couldn't help snorting and chuckling at Sirius; neither could Remus, it seems. Peter was outright giggling. Dumbledore chortled and smiled at Sirius.

"Thank you, Mr. Black, for that exuberant display of agreement. Now, food!" He sat again and the empty platters in front of us magically filled with all and every type of food. The house-elves had outdone themselves.

I saw a plate of mint humbugs and nabbed them. I picked one up and shook it and it expanded in size. I popped it in my mouth. _Mmmmmm..._

"How did you _do_ that?" I looked up to see little Bailey Anbrot looking at me in puzzlement. I smirked – the famous (_in_famous according to the Remus, but he was wearing it at the time) Marauder smirk.

I tapped my nose twice. "Marauder secret, kid."

He tilted his head to the side. "Marauder? What's that?"

Sirius and Remus, who were having a heated discussion about chocolate types, stopped talking and turned to Bailey.

"You don't know who – what – the Marauders are, kid?" Padfoot asked, gobsmacked. Bailey shook his head.

"Is it a wizard thing? I'm Muggle-born you see."

"Oh," I laughed. "Well, Bailey. The Marauders are the pranking kings and head pranksters of this marvellous school. The Marauders consist of myself, young Sirius here," I yanked Sirius into a one-armed hug. "Remus – the brains – here," I reached around Sirius and pulled Remus over to my other side with the left arm, he rolled his eyes. "And Peter here." I nudged Sirius in the ribs and he tugged Peter into the huddle. "All-in-all, the Marauders," I finished. "Prankster extraordinaires."

Bailey laughed. "Okay."

"As for the humbugs," I smiled. "The house-elves put those here especially for me. I love them, and the house-elves are quite fond of us Marauders. Visit them in the kitchens more than most."

"You've been to the kitchens? House-elves?"

"Yes, there's a special way to get into the kitchens, which you'll have to discover for yourself. And house-elves cook here. They're magical beings employed by wizards."

"Oh, thanks!"

I smiled at him and turned back to my food while he went back to talking with Jacob. Sirius and Remus restarted their chocolate argument. When the savoury plates had been wiped clean, puddings took up the empty space and my stomach seemed to empty again. _Oooh! Trifle!_

Half-way through my generous helping of trifle, I addressed Bailey again.

"So how do you know Fiona Evlings?" I asked casually. Bailey's face went bright red faster than I have ever seen any face go before.

"I – I don't know what – what you're talking about."

"Oh please." I grinned. "I've seen that look enough on me to tell that you're smitten, my man." He flushed so red I'm amazed he didn't set fire to the table – it being wood and all. "Just don't hex her friends and have an enormous ego. She'll come around." Bailey gaped up at me and I flashed him a winning smile

When the hall was stuffed to the brim with food and pumpkin juice, the plates disappeared entirely, leaving clean tables. Professor Dumbledore stood up and addressed us.

"Now that there is food and drink in our bellies, I think it is time for our school song before bed! Everyone pick a tune and follow the words!" He waved his wand and words appeared in shimmering sparkles above him. I glanced at Sirius, who nodded conspiratorially. We belted out the words, louder than anyone, in a radical 'Pop' tune that my mother listened to on a Muggle radio station during the holidays. I believe the song was called '_Stayin' Alive_'.

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Dumbledore beamed widely at us all again, then held up his hands. "Now off to bed!" He waved his hands and everyone rose from the tables. As Remus, Sirius, Peter, Frank and I were leaving the hall, Lily caught up with us, grabbing my arm. Goosebumps erupted from where she touched me and spread along my arm and up my neck.

"The new password's '_Flibbertigibbet',_ make sure you tell any people who don't know it." She released my arm and the goose-bumps receded. I watched her as she joined her friends and disappeared into the crowd, flaming hair just visible.

"Oh, Prongsie," Sirius' voice snapped me out of my revere. "You got _bad_."

I huffed. "I repeat, Padfoot. _Shut it._" The others laughed.

* * *

"_Flibbertigibbet_." I told the Fat Lady when we reached her. She swung open to admit us.

The five of us automatically headed for the boy's dorm staircase. I was exhausted.

That's when it happened.

Just as Remus opened the door to the stairs, I heard a voice behind me. A very masculine voice.

"So, Evans, fancy going to Hogsmeade with me on the next trip?"

I swung around. Brendan McLaggen.

Lily smiled. "Sure, Brendan."

_McLaggen! _Anger exploded inside me; a volcano building in pressure every second, moments away from blowing. I was filled with burning fury and an uncontrollable urge to hex McLaggen until he was unrecognizable. My hand flew towards my pocket, but Padfoot, Frank and Moony grabbed my arms and dragged me up the stairs, me shaking with rage the whole way.

When we reached the dorm, they threw me on my bed while Wormtail locked the door. I wouldn't be restrained for long though.

"That bloody git! That –" I screamed profanities at McLaggen until Remus silenced me.

"_Silencio!_" I clutched my throat, trying to speak to no avail. I scowled at Moony. "I'm really sorry about this James, but it's the only way you'll sleep. Or, at least, not be conscious."

What? I tilted my head at him, confused. Then a heavy book whacked me around the head from behind. I fell onto my bed as consciousness slipped away. I saw Sirius standing holding the book before my vision went black.

"Sorry, Prongs."

I remember the quote Padfoot told me earlier.

_"'It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.'"_

What utter crap.

* * *

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